WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump said in Washington, D.C., that he supported Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States after FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed the country's inclusion. "If Gianni said it, I'm OK." Trump said. "Let them play."

Infantino addressed Iran's status during the FIFA congress. "Confirming straightaway that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026. And of course, Iran will play in the United States of America," he said.

The tournament will be held in North America in June and July. Iran will be based in Tucson, Arizona, during the competition and will face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Group G. Iran's opening match is against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.

Iranian officials had floated the idea of shifting their group games from the United States to Mexico, a proposal Infantino rejected. The discussion followed the US-Israel war on Iran, which began in February 2025.

Iran's delegation was the only absentee from the 211-member FIFA congress when Thursday's meeting began. Officials from the Iranian football federation abruptly left Canada after landing in Toronto, abandoning their onward trip to Vancouver. FFIRI President Mehdi Taj and two colleagues flew home after being insulted by Canadian immigration officers.

Taj is a former member of Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. According to a Canadian government statement, Canada designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization in 2024 and said individuals linked to the group were inadmissible.